Thursday, May 1, 2014
1 Corinthians 15:21ff For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ's at His coming.
MAN LIVES!
Had Christ stayed in the grave on Easter Sunday, then no one would live spiritually, and certainly no one would rise from the dead, ever. And, where before we were dead in trespasses and sins, God has by His Gospel "made us alive together with Christ" (Ephesians 2:5). But God has done more for us through the resurrection of Christ than to simply bring us to spiritual life. Our hope is not in this life only. Having made us alive together with Christ, God has given us an eternal inheritance. With Christ He has, "raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:6f).
So it can rightly be said that, "The last enemy that will be destroyed is death." Remember our flow chart? Everything in its own order: "Christ the first-fruits," i.e., Christ rises first; "afterward those who are Christ's at His coming." Again, speaking of believers, "As in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive." Or to put it another way, "Since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead."
Christ's resurrection means our resurrection.
We can be certain of this, for He who said, "Because I live, you shall live also," proved it by rising from the dead Himself. He has power over death, both His and ours. Even in the midst of death, we live! We live because He lives! "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die" (John 11:25f). Our hope is not for this world only. Through faith in Christ our hope is one of eternal life, sure and certain in the heavens, guaranteed for us because Christ Jesus satisfied all of the requirements for our salvation!
Oh, where is your sting, death? We fear you no more;
Christ rose, and now open is fair Eden's door.
For all our transgressions his blood does atone;
Redeemed and forgiven, we now are his own.
(The Lutheran Hymnal, 198:4)
